Magnifying device



Patented July 5, 1938 STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to magnifying apparatus.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide magnifying apparatus which will be simple, practical and thoroughly durable. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which may be made from inexpensive materials and whose manufacture is free from complication and detail work. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which will be neat and attractive in appearance and yet be of such sturdy construction as to withstand hard usage. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which may be easily manufactured at a minimum cost. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which may be supported by the body of the user and which does not interfere 'with the movement of the hands. Another object is to provide a construction of the above '20 character in which the distance between the eyes of the user and the lens may be readily and permanently adjusted. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements,

and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one of the various embodiments of my invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device shown in its relation to the body of a user;

Figure 2 is top plan view having the cover members in an open position;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2; l

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken along line 3-4 of Figure 2; I

Figure 5 is a top plan view having the cover members in a closed position;

Figure 6 is a top plan View of a part of the construction shown in Figure l, and Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view taken along line L4 in Figure 6.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown in Figure 2, a support generally indicated at it having a lens H mounted therein. Support iii preferably is comprised of two plates i2 and it, as is more clearly shown in Figure 4, which are stamped from sheet metal having holes I l and H5 formed therein. Preferably the sheet metal tapers to a knife edge around the periphery of holes l4 and i5. These tapered portions around the peripheries of holes M and I5 extend upwardly out of the planes in which the main portions of the plates lie. Thus when the plates are placed together, as in Figure 4, so that the tapered portions thereof around holes M and I5 extend away from each other, a track I6 is formed.

Lens I which has a diameter greater than the diameter of holes l4 and I5 is placed between plates l2 and 3 so that its periphery lies in track l6. Tapered portions I! and l8 (Figure l) because of their outward flange fit the concave sides of the lens and because of their tapered edge form a neat and attractive connection therebetween. Plates l2 and I3 are then secured together by any suitable means such as spot soldering their outer edges thus securely mounting lens within support |i3.- Support i0 is preferably so shaped that the distance between the inner edges of holes i4 and I5 and edge IQ of support it! is great enough to support lens H a substantial distance outwardly from the body of the user. Thus I have provided a lens securely mounted in a support, the support being so shaped that if its inner edge I9 is placed upon the body of the user and held in position substantially perpendicular thereto, it is held outwardly a sufficient distance to permit the user to view work held thereunder in the hands.

Pivotally secured to the inner corners 5|) and 5| of support It (Fig. 2) are cover members generally indicated at and 2!. As cover members 26 and 2| are substantially similar in construction, I will limit my description to cover member 2!. Referring now to Fig. 3, cover member 2| is preferably stamped from a single plate of sheet metal forming a pair of sides 22 and 23 and an end wall 24 (Figs. 3 and 5). Preferably cover 2| is so shaped that its upper portion covers half of lens N (Fig. 5) and end wall 24 lies outside of edge 60 of support H3. Furthermore, sides 22 and 23 curve outwardly below the lens to leave an exposed portion 53 of support if] when they are in, a closed position. End wall 22 preferably terminates short of the ends 25 and 26 of sides 22 and 23 forrm'ng a pair of ears 2? and 26. Ears 2'! and 28 preferably extend over opposite sides of corner 5| (Fig. 2) and are pivotally secured thereto by rivets 29. Preferably between the inher surface of ears 2! and 28 and the outer surface of plates l2 and i3, I have placed a pair of washers 39 and 3| which prevent friction between sides 22 and 23 and support l0 thus a1- lowing freer movement of the cover member. As sides 22 andff23 are spaced by wall 24, a space is left fbetween the sides and as ears Zll and 28 extend over opposite sides of support it), cver member 2| may be turned on its pivetal connection so that in view of the shape of the cover member half of lens H is covered. Thus cover members 20 and 2| when in a 'closed position cover lens II protecting from damage when the device is not in use and also with support l0 form a neat andicompact unit.

Preferably pivots 29 and 32 are so placed that edges 54and 55 form a continuous edge with the end E9 of. support I0 (Fig. 2) when the device is in an open position. Preferably rivets 29 and 32 are sufiiciently tight to cause some friction between the washers and the support It! so that when adjusted th y retain their position with relation to suppo I0. Thus the user may adjust the ccintinuous' edge formed by edges 55, 54, and 19 to any desired shape to fit the contour of his or her body by moving cover members 25 and 25" about their pivots.

Adjacent the inner edge of lens ll within exposed portion 53 (Fig. and extending through support it I have formed two holes 33 and 34 through which cord 35 is preferably looped. Referring now to l, cord 35 is preferably of sufiicient length to extend upwardly around the neck of the user,,and has a device 35 secured therein for adjusting its length. Adjusting device 36 (Figures 1, 6 and '7) may be of. any desired construction but preferably consists of a metal plate H3 having two holes a and 10b formed therein. The diameter cf holes 10a and 19b is preferably substantially the same as the diameter of cord 35. Cord 35 passes through holes 10a and lilb to form a loop 1|, the size of which is readily i ariable to adjust the length of cord 35.; The angie at which the cord extends through the Zplate retains any adjustment that is made; Thus ;the cover members may be opened and adjusted to fit the contour of the body, geord 35 may be placed about the neck of the user and by adjusting device 36 lens I l may} be placed at any desired distance from the eyes Tof. the user.

The point of attachment of the cord is preferably such that the device will tend to swing by gravity toward the body and be held against tilting by its contact therewith. Thus in work such as knitting with a very fine yarn which places an undesirable strain upon the eyes of the worker, the user may adjust the device, as shown in Fig. 1, and easily accomplish the work as it is greatly magnified. Thus I have provided a device which greatly reduces the strain of working on work of As many possible embodiments may be made of the aboveinvention and as many changeszmight be made in the embodiment above, set forth, it is to'be understood that all matter hereinbefore' set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: 7

1. In magnifying apparatus, in combination, a

magnifying lens, a support for said magnifying lens, a pair of. arms pivotally connected ito said support and being adapted to swing relative thereto and to each other to close over said lens and outwardly into an open position forming means for adjusting the relation between said support and the body of the user, flexible means secured to said support, said means being adapted to be attached to the body of the user, and means for adjusting the length of said. flexible means whereby the lens may be moved toward and away from the eyes of the user. 2. In magnifying apparatus, in combination, a magnifying lens, a support for said magnifying lens, closure members pivotally connected to said support, said closure members being adapted to serve both as ciivers for said lens and as braces for said suppofi, and adjustable means secured to saici support, said adjustable means being adapted to be connected to the body of the user, f whereby the distance between said lens and the i eyes of the user may be varied, said adjustable means being so connected to said support that said lens lies in substantially parallel planes as i it is moved toward arid away from the eyes of the user. l

3. In magnifying apparatusyin combination, a magnifying lens, a supporting device upon the outer portion of which said lens is mounted, said supporting device comprising an inwardly extending member having an inner portion shaped to engage the forward portiorrof the liody of the user and to contact the same along a line of such length as to resist lateral swinging of. the member and a suspendingfdevice secured to said supporting member at a point inward from the lens and extending upwardly about the upper portion of body of the user adapted to prevent said lens from tilting downwardly as said first device prevents it from swinging inwardly or laterally.

4. In magnifying apparatus, in combination, a magnifying lens, a supporting device upon the outer portion of which said lens is mounted, said supporting device comprising an inwardly. extending member having an inner portion shaped to engage the forward portion of the body of the user and to contact the same along a line of such length as to resist lateral swinging of. the member and a suspending device secured to said supporting member at'a point inward from the lens and extending upwardly about the upper portion of the body of the user adapted to prevent said lens from tilting downwardly as said first device prevents it from swinging inwardly or laterally, said suspending device comprising a flexible member extending about the neck of the user and adapted to be adjusted in effective length;

'ALICE .B. RIDABOCK. 

